The present invention relates to an apparatus for chemical treatment of lignocellulosic materials.
Various types of such apparatus, such as the Mini-Mill Laboratory Digester manufactured by M/K Systems Inc. (Danvers, Mass., U.S.A.) and the Micro-Pro Laboratory Digester manufactured by Aurora Technical Products Ltd. (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) are known. These types of apparatus have disadvantages of being standard single-compartment digester which permits liquid phase cooking. They are not designed for executing the following treatments: steam phase cooking, inter-stage sulfonation of mechanical pulps, bleaching of pulps, explosion pulping, vacuum impregnation, pressure impregnation, presteaming of raw materials, treatment of materials in fiberous form.
Quantum Technologies, Inc. (Twinsburg, Ohio, U.S.A.) has introduced a Quantum High Intensity Laboratory Mixer/Reactor which is designed for pulp mixing and bleaching. The maximum working temperature of this mixer/reactor is 110.degree. C., which is not adequate for most chemical treatments of lignocellulosic materials.
It is desirable to have an apparatus for chemical treatment of lignocellulosic materials, which is made of two concentric compartments, one for digestion and the other for steam or heat generation, can be used to do various types of chemical treatment experiments. The present invention relates to an apparatus which has multiple functions in chemical treatment of lignocellulosic materials.